Heater inserting mechanism



Feb. 21, 1950 e. G. SCHNEIDER ET AL 2,498,455

HEATER INSERTING MECHANISM Filed Jan. 10, 1946 7 Shee'ts-Sheet 1 INVENTORS. GERHHRD GUNTHEI? SCHNEIDER and FERN l L. DONOHUE HITO/YNE) Feb. 21, 1950 e. G. SCHNEIDER ET AL 2,493,455

HEATER INSERTING MECHANISM "7 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 10, 1946 nw F Fe&:. 21, 1950 G. G. SCHNEIDER ET AL, 2 498 455 HEATER INSERTING MECHANISM Filed Jan. 10, 1946 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 w 1 "xi; Wm

7/3 I r 1 i l I 1 1 I l l l I i I I g i 6 7/4 i 7% w 77% LNVENTORS GERHHHD GUNTHER .SCHNEID'ER' an ['58 NH L. oo/vom/z f WV ' ATTORNEY Feb. 21, 1950 G. G. SCHNEIDER ETAAL 294939455 HEATER INSERTING MECHANISM Filed Jan. 10, 1 946 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTORS. GER/1M0 fiL/NTHER .SCHNE/DEE and FRANK L. DONOHUE ATTORNEY Feb. 21, 1950 G. e. SCHNEIDER ET AL 2,493,455

HEATER INSERTING MECHANISM 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Jan. 10, 1946 Feb. 21, 1950 G. G. SCHNEIDER ET AL HEATER INSERTING MECHANISM llln IIHIII.

.I'HIHII INVENTORfi. F0 GUNTHEH 5C1 GERHH HNE/DER ang FRflN/f L.DON0[1UE Feb. 21, 1950 G. e. SCHNEIDER ETAL HEATER INSERTING MECHANISM Filed Jan. 10, 1946 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 Patented Feb. 21, 1950 HEATER INSERTING MECHANISM Gerhard Gunther Schneider and Frank L. Donohue, Maplewood, N. J., assignors to National Union Radio Corporation, Newark, N. J., a corporation of Delaware Application January 10, 1946, Serial No. 640,346

A the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Claims.

The invention herein disclosed relates to a mechanism for inserting heating elements into cathodes.

A heating element or heater for a cathode consists of a folded wire of a diameter ranging between two and ten thousandths of an inch. Heretofore, and prior to the invention herein disclosed, such heating elements were inserted into cathodes manually. Because of the small size of the cathode, the springiness and small size of the wire of the folded heater, this has been a tedious and time-consuming operation.

An object of this invention is to provide a mechanism for receiving the heating element in its folded condition and inserting the heating element in a cathode. Another object of the invention is to provide a heater inserting mechanism of this kind that may operate in conjunction with and form a part of a. heater folding machine.

The foregoing objects and certain advantages inherent in the invention that will hereinafter appear are realized in the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described in detail below.

The drawings include:

Fig. 1 which is a plan, partly broken away, of a mechanism constituting one specific embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 which is a side elevation of partly broken away;

Fig. 3 which is a the same,

transverse sectionv taken on Fig. 4 which is an end elevation of the cathode holder;

Fig. 5 which is a side elevation of the drive connection; and

Fig. 6 which is a rear elevation of the same;

Fig. 7 which is a fragmentary plan, partly in section, illustrating the transfer piece and the air connection thereto;

Fig. 8 which is a fragmentary sectional elevation of the same taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. 7; and

Fig. 9 which is a fragmentary elevation of the same.

Fig. 10 is a view of a typical cathode sleeve and folded fine wire filament which are to be assembled by the machine according to the invention.

cannot be telescoped into the sleeve by ordinary push-fit mechanisms. The machine according to the present invention, enables such a filament to be assembled within the relatively small sleeve without danger of the filament being broken or the insulation material thereon being cracked during the assembling operations.

In general, the mechanism illustrated in the drawing includes a cathode holder, designated by the reference character A, and a transfer mechanism, designated by the character B for transferring a heater from a holder therefor, or from a heater folding machine, to a cathode held by the cathode holder A. The cathode holder is arranged to hold a plurality of cathodes and it is actuated to bring the several cathodes, individually and successively into heater receiving position. Its action is coordinated with the action of the transfer mechanism. This transfer mechanism reciprocates between heater-receiving and heater inserting position. At the heaterreceiving position, the transfer mechanism receives a folded heater and moves to the inserting position. A cathode is positioned by the holder such that at the end of the movement of the transfer mechanism towards inserting position, the heater is inserted in the cathode.

The cathode holder includes a disk I, resembling a gear. This disk is rotatably mounted on a vertical shaft 2 and carries another disk 3 of smaller diameter from which mandrels 4 extend radially thereof. The disk 3 is secured to the disk I by machine screws 5 threaded into the disk I and extending through arcuate slots 6 in the disk. In this way, the disk 3 may be adjusted, about the axis of the shaft 2, with respect to the disk I. To the disk I, there may be secured a protective transparent plate I. This plate extends well beyond the mandrels 4 and a cathode thereon to protect the mandrels against accidental damage.

The shaft 2 is fixed in a bracket 8 and held in place by spaced collars 9 and I0 engaging the shaft and the ends of the bracket. On the shaft 2, there is rotatably mounted a gear II having a hub I2. A friction drive I3, capable of slipping, connects the gear hub I2 and a hub I4 depending from the disk I. Through this friction drive, torque is applied to rotate the disk I upon rotation of the gear II. x

The gear II is rotated by an electric motor I5. This motor is connected, through a reducing worm drive I6, to rotate a shaft H. A pinion I8, secured on the shaft H for rotation therewith,

meshes with the gear II.

For positioning the mandrels, individually and successively in heater receiving position, an escapement mechanism is utilized. This mechanism includes a series of depending pins l9, siXteen in number one for each mandrel, secured in the'f diskll and equally, an'gularly'spaced about the disk. "Ari escapement" lever "is'positioned to engage the pins I9. This lever has 7 an arm 2| with a hooked end section and an arm 22. The lever is secured, between i ts;ends,v on a vertically mounted, rotatable pivot 23. A lever 24 is secured at one, lend-to the pivot and at the other end to a slidablepush rod 25 that is actuated, as hereinafter"expl'ained, by the transfer mechanism. The push rod is resiliently urged, to a position in wlii'chtliea'rmwfl of lthe-w lever 20 is in the path of a pin 19, by a spring 26. The spring is secured at one endto a stationary bracket?! and at the other end to a weakens; fasttmir a 255 When the rod 25 is-free to respond to the-force e'gspring' 26; thearm' -22 moves into abut g'a st a pin"ll and hold the disk 1 fixed'and 15 st; neeit afmandrel in heater-receiving positions -V /"hen the"rod is-'moved against the spring the armzz"is'moved out of co-ntact with jafjpin IB; and the'arrn2l moves into the path thefpinsflg; In thisway, the arm 22 engages 'S uc'ces's Yt? P ns and'pojsitio'ns the "disk I so that:

the man'drels'flv areindividually and successively brought into heaterreceiving position. 1

" 'I order that themotor' l5 be not continually tecl',f'and 'for thepurpose of reducing wear 'cin the friction drive, a micro switch 29 is utilized I tocohti'bl energization{of motor.- Theswitch ofntrolled bya pin or lever 29" connected to the escap'elmen't arm to effect concomitant oper- 0f" the motor and :escapementmechanism.

derbody 30 that'is slidably mounted on spaced H ilsf' 3lf Th e carriageisfmoved along the rails, f'to greene cathode" holder or heater-inserting position *(to-theieftjafs seen in'Fig. 2) by a cam 3 *sha'ft"33. ntern follo'vver 34, carried atone end of an arm engag'es the'cane 32. The arm 35 ts snout a fixed pivotft fi an actuates a connectfing-r odqBL Thefconnfecting rod 3'! is pivoted at p ee' d e a sl ding clamp as mounted o the a ft' t' As r n 67 b e n a e t '42i anda' bracket-43 on the-"conct ng' rod tomainta-in the cain follovver in conj t t w ith the' "Another: lever 44 securedon "'tlieshaftffl freciprocates upon oscillation'of the 'fshaft, a"r d 45 fthat-is pivoted at one endtoa '1' er {[4, The rod l5 is secured-to one end of'a chain w th passes around two idler pulleys 41 and48 and is secured to the carriage'30 "The i pull on the chain, by the action ofthe cam {and fcam'ffollower, moves the carriage to] heater inertingpos-itionjlto the left 2) that isto'wa'rd ""the cathode home Byiadjusting the position of th' nnecungreepivotonthearm 35, byineahs esimmg clamp 38; the'amount *of moti'on 3' 5 du'ced bythe cam 32, may, to a certain degree,

be regulated. 2

' The carriageisthe opposite "dire'c- 7 Q9171, toheater receivingposition (to the right; lFi'g' 2)"by' 'weight lflr' Fo'r-fthis purposa -one e d of'apablje 5Bis secured, through an eye 5|, 1 h carriage; The 'cablepas'ses' around a; horizontal 'pullejfi'aland'over avertical pulley 53 to a.

hook 54 secured to theweight'49. V

On the carriage there is mounted a rotatable transfer mechanism includes a carriage or 1 and fiijfthat-"is secured on'-'a drive 35' and at the other' end to a lever SH-secured member, or transfer piece 55, that has a coneshaped front portion 56 with a bell-mouthed hole of a diameter to suit the size of the heater to be transferred. In the back of the transfer piece 5 there isa round sto pin 51 that can be adjusted "to suitithelenjgthkof theljeater Y 1 a Thetran'sfe'r piece ism'ountedon'a rotatable shaft 58 extending into the carriage 30. With- *--in the carriage, there is fast on the shaft 58, a 10 pin-ion 5 9, lhe pinion 59 engages a rack 60 that is slidably, mounted with respect to the carrriage 5 '30:; :In' the path-of the rack 60, as the carriage rack upon movement of the carriage in the oplidSllidlfBCiliOh} EJ/i a a 1 r "As-the carriage 3 moves toward heater 'insert- 25in? posit'ien; -tne d or the rack engages -th'e "pin '6'! The oarri in" its' continued-movement,

-' moves relative to therack 'and the pinion 59 rotates. I The shaft=58 is 'thus' rotated; clockwise as; seen in :Fig; lg a'ind a radial bracket 64, exgo 'tehcling fr er'n-the'shaft moves away from-ar1 ad justabl 'stop s'cre'w I n1'ounted in a threaded bracket- 56 on the iage.f AEfter the shaft has rotated "through" '"n' un'dred and eighty de'gre'es, so tnat th; trans er iece 55 points-intne opposite 35" 61 heater-renew -'di recti'on,-the bracket: B l-engages afiotli' 6.1 stable-"tops'crew-m threaded "through 'thebijacket 66 enthe carriage; Further "fotatiof1- 6fthe-Snafu 58 ana -the transfer-piece is thus prevented and the transfer piece" is posi- 4o -tiond on continued movement of the carriage,

carriagetransfer piece 55' mov'es over: the heater; the 45 rack moves with the carriage gainsttne action oftlu-g-"pring 635 1 11 ension of-thespringghowever; maintains a; for liroug h the rack and pinion, such as to m bracket fid against "the stop screw6'I -and aligned with theheater 68. 'Q v T I Desiratmthe nurser es; ay b'e' the heaterreceiving jaws of the heater f "ng machirie'disldii bfifi de'sribd -"ir-i th -copiiding applica- H hea-ter' 'folding 7 f the-folder tingji'ri'echanis However; it will be at" the in' erti'rig mechanism ay be utilizedindepenclenfly of a foldingni'al cihinejgand receive folded heaters from any-holder therefor 65 for ins erti on i n a cathode. In suchfjcase the *srraft5a;3;en;winc the cairn-32 ism ountedcould edriven b" a pri'me mover 'such as an electric 'm t J: 1. Leis? V When the heate the point Where the J opening in the v ever, when the opposite end of the rack engages the resiliently mounted pin in its path, the rack stops, and the shaft 58 rotates until the bracket 64 engages the stop pin 65. The transfer piece is thus aligned, positioned as shown in Fig. 2, to insert a heater into a cathode and on further movement of the carriage, the transfer piece remains thus aligned as previously described.

To insure alignment of a cathode on a mandrel 4 with the transfer piece as the transfer piece moves longitudinally to insert a heater, relatively movable jaws 19 and H are positioned to engage the cathode. In the closed position (Fig. 3) the jaws have a funnel-shaped opening 12 therethrough converging away from the faces toward the transfer piece 55. The upper jaws is at one end of one arm 13 of a bell crank lever 14, pivoted on a pivot screw 15 extending into a bracket 16 extending from the frame 15 of the mechanism. The other arm 11 of the bracket extends behind a guide bar 18 and is pivotally secured to a transverse, slidable link 19. The lower jaw is at one end of an arm 80 of another bell crank lever BI. This lever is pivoted at 82 and the other arm 83 thereof extends behind the guide bar 18 and is pivotally secured to the slidable link 19. At one end, the slidable link 19 carries a cam roller 84. One end of a spring 85 is secured to the opposite end of the link 19 and the other end of the spring is secured to a fixed bracket 86. The spring acts to move the link 19 in a direction to open the jaws, to the right as seen in Fig. 3, and the jaws are normally biased to the open position so that a cathode, such as the cathode 81, on a mandrel can move between the jaws when the cathode holder indexes.

As the carriage moved to heater-receiving po sition, an arm 88 extending from the carriage engaged the bracket 28 on the escapement rod 25. The rod was thus moved to actuate the escapement lever and the switch 29. Upon return movement of the carriage, the rod moved under the action of the spring 29. Thus, the cathode holder indexed and a cathode moved between the open jaws 10 and H. As the transfer piece moves toward the heater-inserting position, the jaws close on the cathode therebetween. This is effected through the cam roller 89 and a cam arm 89 mounted on the carriage. During the movement of the carriage to heater-inserting position and about the time the turning of the transfer piece is complete, the cam arm 89 engages the cam roller 84 and moves the link 19, against the action of the spring 85 to cause the funnel-shaped jaws 10 and H to close. Upon further movement I of the transfer piece, the heater carried thereby enters, through the funnel-shaped jaws and into the cathode. The carriage then returns, the jaws open and the cathode holder indexes.

In the case of long heaters, it is necessary to provide a blast of air through the transfer piece at the time it is drawing back from inserting a heater in a cathode. This prevents the heater from pulling out of the cathode. Air is preferably used, as distinguished from a mechanical push out, because of the cleaning action of the air in blowing dust out of the hole in the transfer piece and the split nozzle 12 or funnel-shaped jaws 10 and 1|. Even in the case of short heaters an air blast is desirable because of this cleaning action.

An arrangement utilized for providing an air blast as the transfer piece 55 moves away from heater-inserting position is illustrated in Figs. '7, 8 and 9 of the drawings. The transfer piece 55 has a longitudinal opening therethrough which consists of a flared mouth 99 at the end of the cone-shaped front portion 56, a heater-receiving passage 9|, and a passage 92 of larger diameter than the heater-receiving passage 9I for receiving the stop pin 51. Adjacent the connection of the passage 9| with the passage 92, there are provided radial passages 93 which extend through the wall of the transfer piece and communicate with the passage 92. The pin 51 has an extension 94 of reduced diameter which extends into the passage 92. The diameter of the extension 9 4 is suchas to provide an annular space between the pin and the wall of the passage 92. The stop pin 51 is held in adjusted position by a set screw 95.

The transfer piece extends through and is supported by a bracket 96 from which an adjusting plate 91a extends. The adjusting plate is received in the shaft 50 and has alateral extension which constitutes the stop bracket 64. Air is delivered to the radial passages 93 in the transfer piece 55 through air passages in the bracket 96. These airpassages include a radial passage 91 that extends through the wall 98 of the bracket 99. The passage 91 communicates with a lateral passage 99 which in turn is connected to a radial passage I which communicates with one of the radial passages 93 in the transfer piece 55.

Air is delivered to the passage 91 by the engagement of the end of an air tube IOI with the end of the passage 91. To insure a tight connection, a rubber gasket plate I02 is secured on the wall 98 of the bracket 96. The tube IOI is carried by a lever I93 that is'rotatable on a pivot I04 secured ina bracket I05 mounted on the carriage 39. The lever I03 has a head I 06 formed thereon and the tube IIlI extends through an opening in the head and is held in place therein by a set screw I01.

The lever is actuated to bring the end of the tube IIlI into contact with the gasket I02 as the transfer piece is moved away from heater-inserting position by a cam I08 that is mounted on the base plate I09. For this purpose, the lever carries a cam roller IIO which extends into a cam slot III in the cam I08. The slot III includes two offset portions Ia and II Ib and constitutes a positive cam. In the position shown in the drawings, the cam roller H0 is in the upper section IIIa of the cam slot III. In this position of the cam follower, the lever I03 is positioned so that the end of the tube IOI is in contact with the gasket plate I02. Air is then supplied through the tube IOI and passes through the passages 91, 99, I00, 93, 9I and out through the mouth 90 of the transfer piece. As the carriage moves away from heater-receiving position, the cam roller IIO moves into the portion IIIb of the cam slot II I. As the roller moves into the portion IIIb, the lever is actuated to move the tube IOI away from the gasket plate I02 and provide clearance for the subsequent rotation of the transfer piece. Air is supplied to-the tube IOI through a flexible rubber hose I I2. For this purpose, a bracket H3 is secured to the frame of the machine and carries a coupling II4 which connects an air supply line I I5 to a tube IIB that is connected to the hose I I2.

In the operation of the machine, as the transfer piece moves to heater-inserting position, the roller I I0 moves into the portion I Ila of the cam groove I I I. This brings, as heretofore stated, the end of the tube IOI into contact with the rubber gasket plate I02. This condition maintains un- 15 til the heater is inserted in the cathode. Imme- (notshowmis act area so that 'a ir A s su plied. tlirou'glffthe hose a'nd' into 'th pas'sages of sailcl head is firovided with a" reciprocating -cariiage'o'n which said head is rotataloly mounted, and means-are provided for effective rotation of said head-during one portion of -the-'reciprocatthe' transfenpie'ce. The air blast' continues until -L -"ing movement of said car-riage,-and additional 'the'fheater is but cr me-transfer pi'e'oe I at' which tim he air valve is 'close'd an'dthe air cutofi". H *timejthe cam roller l lfl fiioves into-" the "portion H I b or the carn groove H l "and theflever l03isaot1'1atd td'm'ove th 'a'ii tub ll 'aWaly "fromthe--bracket" 96'. With this arrangement, tneair blast through-wile passage 91i eaoses the heater to be pushe'cl'ou't or he transfer piecerand 'IfiJ-ined in thec'athode ih which it? was' inserted. The air blast also cleans out the heater-receivfiassage 9Ind-*tli*$p1itfho22le 1 2 and S0 evade any failure er operation diie to particles of insulation-remain n in these-passages.

I Itwill b obvioiis-th a'-rio1is"changes maybe "maae-b y tho'se skill'edi fthe art'in 'thedetails of 20 I the embodiment of the --i1fn'/ention"- illustrated in the'drawingand described in detail'aloove within the 'p'rinoiple and {scope of the invention as expressed in the 'app'r'idedfiClaims. "We clairnz' 1. A machine for assembling radio tube cathodes arid the' like of the type havinga-cathode sleeve and e fine Wire heater I filament therein, eemr'irisifig 1 a rotatable magazine carrying a se- -=ries cathode sleeves projectingradially=-there-. from, -a' sin'glejhead ior holding a'fine 'wire fila- -inerit, -said- 's'ingle li'ead being; rotatable around 1 an -axis parallel to the axis" of rotation.of -said maga- 'ZineJm'e'aIist'O rotate said singlei-head-alround its own i axisbetween"a filament loading position and afiother- 'po'si'tion where theloajdecl fila'ment islon- '-'-gitti'dirial1y ahd' radial1y ali'g-ned tvith'one of -said cathode sl'eevesj meansito reciprocate said single head radially towards said aligned cathode sleeve 1 t6 insert the loaded filament into said sleeve and t-hen away-from saidr'sleevaand air lolas't means communicating with said-head and' loper'ated in timed relation to said fie'ciprocation toretain the r filament tel'e'sco'ped' Within said sleeve during the "movement ofsaid head away from said' sleeve. '--'*2. "A machine according toeclaim -1 in -which means are provided forholding said head against rotation during another portion of the reciprocating movement ofthe carriage.

'3 A machine according to-claim 1 in which a reciprocating-carriage -is provided for said head on which said head is rotatably mounted, and "a slidably-mounted rack is engageable with-said carriage during only a portion of the-reciprocatin'g movem'ent fof tlre' carri-ageto rotate said head. -4,- A machine :for: inserting fine wire folded -filament; 1 into a I corre'sponding' cathode sleeve, comprising a cathode sleeve holder, aufilament holderg-rneans to operate said holders infmutual 'time'd relation to loring said -sleeve'fwith its bore iiil hgitudinal alignment-with the length of the foldediiilament; means t'omove said holders rela- "rtively to each other in afllongitudinal" direction to -telescope the -filament into said bore, means to i move' said holders longitudinally relatively apart'from each'other after thefilamenthas been tel'escoped Within said "sleeve, and air blast means v connected insaid filament holder for exerting a retaining "force on-the filament which is telescoped -within said sleeve as the said-holders move relatively apart. 5. A: machine according to claim 4 inwhich asaid air blast'means are provided with means for *operatirig itin timed relationwith respect to the movement of said holders.

* GERI-IARD GUNTHER SCHNEIDER.

FRANK L-. DONOHUE.

l -BEFERENCESCITED The following references are of record in the 4 0'" fil of this patent:

"a ITNITED STATES PATENTS 

